Triple fire extinguisher



Oct. 24, 1939. p, PURWANCE 2,177,581

TRIPLE FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed April 26, 1937 INVENT OR. PERCY P VIHIZCE ATTORNEYS FIG .1.

Patented Oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES TRIPLE FIRE EXTINGUISHER Percy Purviance, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 26,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in fire extinguishers and has particular reference to a fire extinguisher, which first employs liquid carbon dioxide to extinguish a fire, also a system which is capable of combining carbon dioxide with the water to conquer a more stubborn fire than is possible with carbon dioxide alone, or to permit the system to employ water only.

A further object is to produce a system of this character which is economical to manufacture and to install, and one which may be employed with the ordinary automatic sprinkler system now installed in many buildings.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

The figure shows a schematic arrangement of parts necessary to accomplish the objects of my invention.

In the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a pipe line having the customary sprinkler heads 6. This pipe line is connected to a mixing pipe or container 1, the upper end of which has connected thereto a plurality of aspirators 8. The lower end of the pipe is connected to a tank 9, which tank is in turn connected from its bot tom through the medium of a conduit H to a water supply pipe l2. It is assumed that this water supply pipe is connected to the city service and is under pressure. The pipe I2 is connected to the aspirators 8 through the medium of a pipe l3 and a check valve [4 is positioned therein and a diaphragm actuated valve I6 is also positioned in said pipe l3. At IT I have shown containers in which is stored liquid carbon dioxide, and from which containers the gas passes through pressure reducing valves Hi to coils l9, and thence to a manifold pipe 21, within which are positioned baffles 22 and a check valve 23. 45 This manifold pipe 2| is connected to aspirator nozzles 24, the action of which is familiar. A T-connection 26 provides communication from the pipe 2i to a diaphragm 21, which diaphragm is connected by a rod 28 to the valve l6; and a spring 29 normally tends to keep the valve l6 open. An alarm system is used in connection with the arrangement, which alarm will indicate audibly if the fiow through the pipe I occurs, or if the water in the tank 9 rises beyond a predetermined distance. Also, when the alarm is 1937, Serial No. 139,065

sounded, heat passes through the coils 3i and maintains the flow of carbon dioxide by preventing freezing.

Assuming now that my system has been installed and a fire occurs, one of the sprinklers 6 will be melted so as to reduce the pressure in the pipes 5 and 'l in the balance of the line to the tanks l1. Immediately, carbon dioxide from the containers i! will pass through the pipe 2i, contact the baffies 22, building up a slight back pressure sufficient to act upon the diaphragm 21 to keep the valve I6 closed. This carbon dioxide will pass through the nozzles 24, aspirators 8, and into the pipe 1, closing the contacts to the alarm system, and be discharged through the sprinklers which are open, thus extinguishing, if possible, the fire with the use of carbon dioxide, which is non-injurious to the goods with which it comes into contact.

' When the carbon dioxide in the containers has been used to a certain degree, the pressure will drop in the system, and, consequently, the valve l6 will be opened, and immediately water will pass from the pipe l2 through the pipe l3 and into the aspirators 8, where it will come into contact with the gas issuing from the nozzles 24 and pass down the mixing pipe 1 and be discharged through the pipe 5 and the sprinklers 6. When the gas becomes entirely depleted, only water will pass through the system.

In order to provide for any leaks in the system, I provide the tank 9 so that the Water pressure from the city service will enter the tank 9, compressing the air therein and also the gas within the system. If any leakage occurs, the city pressure will force more water into the tank until the same has reached a point where it will engage the alarm system, thus giving an audible indication that leakage has occurred and that the tank 9 has been filled with water. It is, of course, understood that the opening between the tank 9 and the pipe I is very small so that when a fire does occur and the pressure drops, any appreciable amount of water will not flow from the pipe I i into the system.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

Ina fire extinguishing system of the class described comprising a sprinkler pipe having a. plurality of fusible sprinkler heads mounted therein, a mixing pipe communicating with said sprinkler pipe, a plurality of carbon dioxide containers included in said system, means for discharging carbon dioxide from said containers to said mixing pipe, a. water pressure pipe line connected. to said mixing pipe, a diaphragm actuated valve mounted in said water pipe, said valve being actuated by means of pressure from the carbon dioxide containers to normally maintain said valve closed, whereby a balance of pressures is secured between the carbon dioxide and the water in said system, and hydrostatic means for maintaining pressure in said system when the sprinkler valves are closed.

PERCY PURVIANCE. 

